James hotchkiss and ezra buss



@ntteh .tette stent ffice.

JAMES IIOTOHKISS ANI) EZHA BUSS, OF SPRINGFIELD OHIO.

Letters Patent No. 65,383, dated June 4, 1867. l

IMPROVED BRICK MACHINE.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, JAMES HoroHKrss and Eznn Buss, 'of Springfield, in the county of Clark, and State of Ohio, have invented an Improved Brick Machine; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification- Figure 1 being a plan of the machine.

Figure 2, a horizontal section thcrcofjust below the upper framework, and showing the mould-wheel and other lower parts in plan.

Figure 3, a vertical section of the same in a plane indicated by the line x fc, figs. 1 and 2.

Figure 4, a plan of the pug-mill detached.

Figure 5, a central vertical section ofthe toggles and adjacent parts.

Figure 6, a cross-section of a mould and follower.

Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10, top, side, bottom, and end views of the follower.

Figure 11, section of a mould, showing the mode of lining it,

Figure 12, a view of a part detached.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

The brick machine to which our improvements apply we represent in the drawings as a horizontal mouldwheel machine, in which the mould-wheel W turns at intermittent steps under a vertical pug-mill, S, from which the moulds are successively filled, and thence under a piston or platen, N, by which the moulded bricks are pressed in the moulds, and 'finally it automatically lifts the bricks out of the moulds and turns them upon edge by a tilter, T, ready to be taken up and carried away. The frame A may have any suitable construction and form for mounting the working parts upon. In a suitable position therein the pug-wheel Slis located, its bottom, V, being cast or formed with projecting arms, a a a, by which it is secured to the frame independently, and so us to allow free space below the entire pug-mill for the mould-wheel W to pass under. The mould-wheel has a central cavity or depression, w, in its top, into which-the bottom V of the pug-mill projects below its own sides, thus acquiring suiicient thickness and strength to furnish a bearing for the upper journal, c, of the mouldwheel, so as to enable us to dispense with separate framework for the purpose, and1 to carry the mould-wheel under -the whole diameter of the pug-mill. It also enablesv us to bring the top of the mould-wheel close up to or even with the interior or upper surface of the bottom of the pug-mill, in order that the lower arms, 1' T, of the pug-mill, may sweep close down to the mould-wheel, thereby producing a stronger and more thorough pressure of the clay into the moulds., and filling them fully and compactly. This relative arrangement of the mould-wheel and, pug-mill also enables us to secure another important advantage, namely, by having the outer peripheries of the mould-wheel and pug-mill coincide, or nearly so, the path of the moulds sweeps under the png-mill outside of the centre thereof, thereby having a much longer sweep under the clay. A long crescentshaped opening, R, iig. 2, is cut in the bottom of the pug-mill over said path. Thus the moulds are subjected to the action of the pug-mill arms or fillers a much longer time than usual, so that the filling is done very thoroughly. The lower journal, y, of the mouldwheel, turns in a step, e, which is adjustable up and down by a set-screw or its equivalent, as shown in fig. 3. The pug-mill shaft, B, receives the power direct, the sweep, pulley, or pinion, by which it is turned, being applied at the upper end, Z1, thereof. The mould-wheel is turned intermittingly, so as to bring each mould, O, successively under the pressing piston or platen, N, and then remain stationary while the pressing is going on, and this movement is effected by means of a cam-wheel, C, on the shaft B, the projections c c of the cam striking an arm, E, attached to a vertical rock-shaft, G, on which is another vibrator-'y arm, Gr, whereby a hook pawl, I-I I, is operated. This pawl, when arranged as shown, has a hook, z, to catch into notches J .l in the periphery o'f the mould-wheel, as shown by dotted lines in g. 2. The: outer end of the hook 'L' is bevelled, so that it slides out of the notches .I .I automatically as the pawl recedes to catch another notch. A spring, g, arranged as shown, or otherwise, forces the hook of the pawl into the notches. This .method of driving the mould-wheel is compact, and does not unnecessarily exhaust the power of the machine. The length of the pawl is adjusted by having the rod part I in two parts, coupled by a sleeve, j, and adjusting holes and pin, or by a right and left screw, as shown, or other equivalent means. The rod I, enters the soeket-pawl H, and is held by a wooden or other frangible pin, n, which will break in case of any obstruction of the mould-wheel, which otherwise might break some important part of the machine. The cam C also acts on another arm,-F, attached to another rock-shaft, D, for the purpose'of operating toggles M M, by which the bricks are pressed. An arm', K, attached to thc said rock-shaft, communicates a vibratory increment to a connecting-rod, L, which is pivoted to the arm at 7c, and extends between the contiguous ends of the toggle-arms M M, and straightens or bends them as required, and at the proper time to produce the pressure. Sinne the cam-wheel C only moves the arms E E outward, they are brought alternately inward to the cam'whecls, one by the other, through the means of the respective projections cfthereon, acting in contact with each other.Y The lower arms or fillers, r i', of;the pug-mill shaft, are broad at the outer end, and are situated obliqucly, so'as to have a strong downward pressure on the clay, and as they sweep close down to the bottom of the pug-mill and to the mould-wheel through the aperture R, their action iu filling the moulds is immediate and thoroughly effect.- ual, never failing to produce perfect bricks. As thc moulds pass out from under the pug-mill a scraper, I), first strikes oif the superfluous clay above the surface of the mould-wheel; but after being relieved of pressure the clay in the moulds swells upward somewhat and moro than ,filis them. To remedy this we add a second scraper, Q, before the bricks are brought under the pressing platen or pistou. This second scraper finishes the upper surfaces of the bricksaccurately and neatly. `The scrupers are both fixed, but adjustable in position,

and may be arranged substantially as shown in the drawings. The first scraper sometimes throws the clay backfrom the front edge of the mould, so that if not corrected that c dge might be left imperfect. To remedy this we contemplate the employment of a movable scraper, A', fig. 12, between the stationary Scrapers, having communicatedto it a swinging or other movement forward over the bricks at the right momen t, sufficient to sweep nearly or quite over the'surfaces of the bricks, and thus Ireplace the cla-y so as to make the front edge or cornersof the bricks perfect. This movement of the scraper may be effected, as represented, by an arm B, on the rockshaft G and connecting-rod C, or by any other suitable device; and it may swing as shown, or have any other kind of reciprocating movement. Its position is adjustable. The pressure platen or piston, N, moves up and down in a guido-block or arm, 1t, of the pug-mill bottom, or of the frame, and is thus directed into the top of the moulds, which are successively brought into exact position under it. It enters a short'distanee into the mould in giving the pressure, and thus the mould itself keeps the clay in place, and the bricks are accurately formed with no projecting edges of superfluous clay on them. In order to provide for the entering of the pressure platen or pisteudown into'the moulds, the followers O O, with the bricks, are lowered a little in the moulds before reaching the position for pressing. This is done by letting the followers off from the track N, while, during the whole passage under the pug-mill, the followers are kept at an even height by the track. yThis movement of the followers is of importance, and enables us to make a more perfect and better shaped pressed brick than heretofore. The followers are, or may be, supported during the pressure by projections a a from the lower part of the mould-wheel into the moulds, and by set-screws In b passing up through them, so as to adjust theheightof the followers and make the bricks of even and proper thickness, and with right angles. The upper toggle, M, is pivoted in-a fixed or adjustable block in the cross-piece of the frame above, or other wise, whilcthe lower toggle is similarly pivoted to the platen or piston The adjacent ends have notches in which fits the connecting-rod L, which has a head on one side and shoulders ou the 'other side thereof, or any equivalent construction whereby to move the toggles. The bearing edges Z Z of the two tvgglcs Outside 0f the connecting-rod are so curved that they rock and work as cams on each other to give additional action with only a rolling friction. A spring, m, is or may be employed to bcn-d the two toggles back and lift the platen, or the whole may be done by the movement of the rod L. The ends of the spring m have slots in them working over guide-pins in the toggles, to enable the ends to move thereon and still keep in place. Directly after receiving the pressure the bricks are raised entirely out of the moulds by the followers travelling up over a track or cam, X. While thus held out of the' moulds the bricks are turned on edge atthc sides of the moulds by a tiltingarm, T, which has vibratory movement round a. central journal, t, which turns in a projection of tbe frame. It is moved at the proper moment by means of a lever, U, pivoted to the frame and 'operated by`cam's Z Z on the under side of the cam-wheel C, and of a connecting-rod, u, from the said lever tothe tilter. Thcfpllowers then drop from the cam-track X, and descend to'their lowest position before ascending' and-riding -u'pon the track Y, ready for another revolution.

We have an improved device for attaching the cloth to the top ofthe followers, as represented in figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10. The cloth c is laid upon a metallic plate, d', which has its edgcs,f, turned up over the cloth to 'hold it in place. Then this plate and cloth together may be attached to the top of the follower' by screwsgg, or their equivalent. We have also an improved lining for the moulds to prevent the clays adheringy thereto. It consists of soapstone applied in plates h h', as shown in fig. 11. A cap-plate, t', of steel or other metal,

serves to hold the soapstone plates in place, and to prevent wear and abrasion of the soapstone edges.

Inorder to bring the mould-wheel close to the interior of the png-mill, an arc-shaped groove, m', fig. 3, is formed in the bottom V of the pug-1nill, in which travels the projecting part of the upper side of thc mouldwheel outside of the depression w. It is in this part of the wheel that the moulds are situated. The track Y, if preferred, may be continued, not only under the Scrapers P Q, but under the pressure-piston N, so as tovform a bearing for the followers in applying the pressure. In this case the track declines a little after passing under the pug-mill, so as to lower the followers for the Scrapers/and pressing, as before described. In pressing, any print, figure, concave, or depression desired, may be made in the tops of the bricks.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, s

1. The combination and arrangement of the driving cam-wheel C, and rock-shaft levers E F, for operating' the mould-wheel and pressingtogglcs, substantially as herein specified. A

2.l We also claim the combination of the pawl I-I I, adjustable in length with the notches J J, in the periphery of the mould-wheel, or their equivalent, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. We also claim the extension of the pug-mill beyond the centre of the mould-wheel, so that the latter may extend under the entire bottom of the former without diminishing the diameter ofthe same, substantially as and for the purposes herein specied. I

4. We also claim the employment of the bottom plate V o the pug-mill as a. hearing for the upper journal of the mould-wheel, the said plate being secured to the framework by suitable projections, a a a, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth. I i

5. We also claim the central depression w, in top of the mould-wheel, when combined with the extension of the bottom plate of the pug-mill downward therein, for the purposes herein set forth.

6. We also claim forming the lpressure platen, mortse, or guide, in an extension of the bottom plate V of the pug-mill, as set forth. y

7. We also claim the combination with each other of the mould-wheel W, theatre-shaped groove m', in the bottom of the pug-mill, the crescent-shapednperture R, through the same, and the fillers 1' r, arranged and operating together substantially as und for the purpose herein specified. Y

8. We also claim the employment of two Scrapers, P Q, acting successively, one while the clay is under pressure, and the other after the clay is relieved from pressure, substantially es and for the purpose herein set forth. 4

9. We also claim the movable scraper-AQ acting in the opposite direction te that of the stationary Scrapers, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified. v

10. To also claim the lowering)r of the followers so as to sink the bricks, after being moulded, somewhat further into the moulds to receive the pressure of the piston, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein spocied. I

11. live also claim the adjusting-screws b b, which support and adjust the followers in the moulds when they are set in lugs a a, which project into the mould-mortises, substantially as specified.

12. re also claim the construction and arrangement of the toggles M M, with the spring m, and operating,r upon each other by a earn-action, substantially as herein set forth.

13. We else claim'the vibrating tilter T, when operated by a lever U and cams Z Z, substantially as herein specified.

The above specification of our improved brick machine signed by us in presence of two suhseribingiwitnesses.

JAMES HOTCHKISS,

EZRA BUSS. Witnesses:

}ns to J. Horenurss.

}as to E. Buss. 

